Introduction

In the rapidly evolving commercial real estate landscape, few companies have demonstrated the remarkable ability to balance aggressive growth with meaningful purpose. Hanto Workspaces stands as a testament to how modern businesses can scale sustainably while maintaining their core values and vision. As the company prepares for its IPO journey, their story offers valuable insights into building a business that grows not just in size, but in impact and significance.

This analysis is based on insights from Commercial Design India featuring Hanto Workspace founder Aashit Verma.

Scaling With Soul: Hanto's IPO Journey Begins

From Perception to Strategic Imperative

The managed workspace industry has undergone a dramatic transformation, evolving from temporary solutions to strategic business imperatives. As of 2024, managed workspaces collectively account for nearly 7% of India's total Grade A office supply, with the segment recording approximately 12 million sq. ft. of gross leasing—a significant 57% jump over 2023 volumes. Projections indicate this share could grow to 12-14% by 2027. Aashit Verma, Founder of Hanto Workspace, emphasizes that "the conversation has evolved from being about 'cost per square foot' to 'value per employee.'" At Hanto, they're hosting multi-year contracts with customized solutions for respected global brands, moving beyond desk-filling to creating high-performance work ecosystems that adapt to evolving business needs.

Technology-Driven Experience Revolution

Hanto is leveraging technology not just for operational efficiency, but to fundamentally redefine how workplaces are designed and experienced. Verma explains their approach: "We are doubling down on investments in proprietary technology platforms—enabling real-time occupancy management, ESG optimization, predictive maintenance, and AI-led personalization of workspace environments." The company views AI as a tool to heighten employee experience rather than simply shrink footprints, creating workspaces that serve as destinations for collaboration, creativity, and culture-building. Their design philosophy centers on making offices earn the commute by offering what cannot be replicated at home: intentional collaboration, deep mentorship, and cultural immersion.

Strategic Micro-Market Expansion

Hanto's growth strategy focuses on carefully selected micro-markets like Indiranagar and Sarjapur, which are becoming increasingly relevant due to proximity to residential areas, easy commute options, and competitive rental values. However, Verma acknowledges the challenges: "The single greatest risk is that infrastructure development fails to keep pace with private-sector-led growth." Hanto's approach is deliberate—partnering with developers and choosing locations with credible paths for sustainable infrastructure. They're building highly curated micro-clusters across key urban markets, delivering location-sensitive experiences where design, wellness, flexibility, and culture intersect to drive productivity and employee well-being.

IPO-Ready Scaling Philosophy

As Hanto prepares for its IPO journey, founder Verma maintains clear priorities: "Scale has never been the starting point—it's always been the by-product of deeply understanding our customers and executing relentlessly on what matters most to them." Unlike traditional real estate models prioritizing maximum square footage, Hanto was never designed as a volume-first player. Their scaling philosophy emphasizes preserving the integrity of their experience-first DNA while using technology to unlock precision scaling without diluting customer value. This approach positions them to transition successfully to public markets while maintaining their commitment to quality-focused growth.

Conclusion

Hanto Workspaces exemplifies how modern companies can pursue aggressive growth while staying true to foundational values. Under Aashit Verma's leadership, they're proving that the future of workspace lies in creating technology-enabled, human-centric environments. Their IPO journey represents validation that purpose-driven companies can successfully scale while redefining what it means to build workplaces for tomorrow's evolving work culture.